DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION PROGRAMME MOLDOVA 2011-2017 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................ 2 2. DEVELOPMENT PRIORITIES OF THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA ..................... 3 2.1 MAIN MID-TERM PRIORITIES ...................................................................................... 3 2.2 PRIORITY SECTORS .................................................................................................... 3 2.2.1 Social infrastructure and services......................................................................... 3 2.2.2 Water supply and sanitation (incl. waste management)........................................ 4 2.2.3 Agriculture............................................................................................................. 4 2.2.4 Environmental protection (liquidation and reduction of environmental hazards)4 3. ACTIVITIES OF OTHER DONORS ................................................................................ 5 3.1 COORDINATION MECHANISMS ................................................................................... 5 3.2 EU ACTIVITIES........................................................................................................... 5 3.3 CZECH REPUBLIC’S COOPERATION WITH OTHER DONORS .......................................... 6 4. COOPERATION BETWEEN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AND THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA............................................................................................................................... 6 4.1 COOPERATION FOCUS AND ACHIEVEMENTS TO DATE................................................. 6 4.2 PRIORITY SECTORS OF THE FUTURE COOPERATION.................................................... 7 4.2.1 Drinking water supply and sanitation ................................................................... 8 4.2.2 Government and civil society ................................................................................ 9 4.2.3 Education and other social infrastructure and services........................................ 9 4.2.4 Agriculture, forestry and fishing ......................................................................... 10 4.2.5 General environmental protection ...................................................................... 10 4.3 GEOGRAPHICAL FOCUS OF THE COOPERATION PROGRAMME.................................... 11 5. TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF COOPERATION............................................................. 11 5.1 PRINCIPAL ACTORS .................................................................................................. 11 5.2 COMMUNICATION AND COORDINATION MECHANISMS............................................. 12 5.3 MONITORING, EVALUATION AND MID-TERM ASSESSMENT....................................... 12 5.4 IMPLEMENTATION CONDITIONS ............................................................................... 13 SUMMARY............................................................................................................................. 14 APPENDIX – LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS........................................................................17 MFA/ORS - www.mzv.cz/aid 1. Introduction As a member of the European Union (EU) and the international community of democratic and economically developed countries, the Czech Republic recognizes the principle of solidarity and mutual support among people and countries, accepting its share of responsibility for dealing with global issues. This position reflects in providing of development cooperation that makes an integral part of Czech foreign policy. Through development cooperation the Czech Republic endorses international development commitments as well as the Millennium Development Goals. In line with EU principles, the Czech Republic carries out development cooperation on bilateral as well as multilateral basis. Through development activities, the Czech Republic contributes to eradication of poverty as well as to sustainable economic and social development and environmental protection, while promoting democracy, human rights and good governance in partner countries1. By providing development assistance, the Czech Republic also contributes to the strengthening of global security and stability and, inter alia, to the prevention of regional and local conflicts and to the prevention of undesirable migration. Cross-cutting commitments, basic principles as well as territorial and sector priorities of Czech Republic’s development cooperation are anchored in the Development Cooperation Strategy of the Czech Republic 2010-2017 (hereinafter the “Strategy”) that was approved by the Czech government in May 2010. Development cooperation programmes between the Czech Republic and priority countries are the cornerstone of the bilateral development cooperation, and are to be carried out through bilateral development projects. In accordance with the Strategy, the Republic of Moldova (“Moldova”) belongs to the highest category of the partner countries, among priority countries with a development programme (“programme countries”). The Czech government decision’s was based on development needs of Moldova, good mutual relations and effective results of the development cooperation to date. Mutual relations between the Czech Republic and Moldova are good and friendly, having developed on bilateral and multilateral level over the recent years. Besides being the Czech Republic’s development priority, Moldova is also among the countries receiving Czech transition assistance. Moldova is a partner country within the Eastern Partnership, an EU initiative focused on achieving stability and prosperity of states in the vicinity of the EU. Given the significant interest of Moldova in its integration within the European structures, the Czech Republic’s involvement in the relations between the EU and Moldova becomes increasingly important. The economic and social standing of Moldova has been marked by long-term decline of industrial production, unemployment and departure of a significant part of workforce to other countries. Based on the Human Development Index (HDI)2 for the assessment of social prosperity within the UN Development Programme (UNDP), Moldova ranked no. 99 out of 169 countries in the world in 2010. In line with development needs of Moldova and good development cooperation results to date, the Czech Republic, working closely with the representatives of Moldova, has developed the following Development Cooperation Programme for the period of 2011-2017. 1 Act on development cooperation and humanitarian assistance to foreign countries and on amending related legislation no. 151/2010 Coll., effective 1 July 2010. 2 Http://hdr.undp.org/en MFA/ORS – www.mzv.cz/aid 2 In the following period, development cooperation will focus primarily on supporting the development of the following sectors: water supply and sanitation; government and civic society; education, social infrastructure and services; agriculture, forestry and fishing as well as general environmental protection. 2. Development priorities of the Republic of Moldova 2.1 Main mid-term priorities The government of Moldova has defined its main development priorities in the document “Rethink Moldova: Priorities for Medium Term Development“3. Besides updating mid-term priorities of the government, the document also provides foreign partners (donors) with guidance in fulfilling the development visions of the Moldovan government. The mid-term priorities of Moldova identified in “Rethink Moldova” include especially: • Responsible governance – effective civil service, anti-corruption, administrative decentralization etc.; • Economic recovery – improved conditions for businesses and economic development, infrastructure investment, high value agriculture, regional development etc.; • Human capital – education, health care, social protection etc. 2.2 Priority sectors 2.2.1 Social infrastructure and services The current economic downturn in Moldova has a significant impact on the most vulnerable people. The government therefore focuses on identifying resources to cover social benefits for the neediest ones in order to prevent their social exclusion and proliferation of poverty. The outdated system of cost offsetting and material social benefits (reduced energy rates, reduced local fees and distribution of material support), based on categorization of needs, should gradually give way to direct care of the most vulnerable groups. In the mid- term horizon, the system of social services will focus on people with disabilities, i.e. the persons who are currently most at risk of facing social exclusion. Mid-term priorities: • Reform of residential care of children who are unprovided for; • Protection of persons with disabilities (including children and adults) and their integration within the society. In both cases, the reforms attempt to increase the share of home- and community- based care as opposed to residential care and to integrate people with disabilities in the society (i.e. to integrate children in the system of education and adults in the job market). 3 www.gov.md/. MFA/ORS – www.mzv.cz/aid 3 2.2.2 Water supply and sanitation (incl. waste management) The government of Moldova perceives the protection of water resources and the development of water and sewage infrastructure as its top priority. Its aim is to increase the number of inhabitants with access to water and sewage infrastructure. Mid-term priorities: • Protection of sources of drinking